


First time to the cinema

by dustenigmas



Series: What Marisa could have been [4]
Category: His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:21:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29322333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dustenigmas/pseuds/dustenigmas
Summary: Marisa wants to know why Mary never invited her to the cinema before.[...] "I've been in this world for a year now, and I still have the feeling that I don't know the most basic things.”"Why do you say that?" Mary was genuinely confused."I've never done some activities that most people say are common.""If this is about touring London on that red bus, I can assure you I didn't invite you because I knew it wouldn't be something you like. You are much more discreet and whether you like it or not, you always prefer something personalized, something that has been suited to you".The golden monkey enjoyed the scene but felt sorry for Mary, so clever in some aspects, but so lazy in others. [...]
Relationships: Marisa Coulter & Mary Malone, Mary Malone & Marisa Coulter's Daemon
Series: What Marisa could have been [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105424
Kudos: 6





	First time to the cinema

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I hope you like this fanfic.  
> That was an idea I had because I can't stop imagining Mary and Marisa.  
> :)

Marisa had been in the new world for at least 1 year. Some things still seemed new and unfamiliar to her, the cinema for example. Every week the scientists at the university that Marisa had joined agreed to go to the cinema, in search of new movies. 

The young woman was never afraid of anything, but it seemed that going to the movies was an activity that should be done between two or more people with a certain measure of intimacy. Whether it was an activity for young couples, they would go to the movies to get to know each other better in another sense. It seemed strange to think of going to this activity alone. That's why Marisa hadn't been to the cinema in the last few months. 

Since it seemed to be something she didn't fit in, Marisa didn't pay attention - but she always looked for the week's releases in the college paper, she read them before Mary got to work. Marisa and Mary had been going out together since Marisa's second month in the new world, in which she told the doctor about her origins and joined her research on dark matter. 

Marisa had never cared about Mary not inviting her to the cinema, it didn't seem like a thing. At least until she saw an ad for a new film by a franchise called Star Wars. Mary was a big fan of "it", something that Marisa noticed when visiting the scientist's house. Malone had pillows, some hidden posters, and even a mug of Star Wars. 

Insecurity dominated Marisa on Tuesday morning. Didn't Mary like her as she said? Did Mary prefer to go to the movies with other people? Why had Mary never invited her to the cinema before? Would Mary have invited her to the cinema this time? 

Marisa knew better than to confront the doctor and cover her with some insecurities she carried from the other world, she decided that she would wait to talk to Mary while they were setting up "the cave" for the late afternoon science show. The golden monkey helped her prepare the coffee for herself and Mary, together they tidied up the pile of papers that Mary made a point of leaving disorganized and waited for the doctor to arrive. 

Being late was more than common for Mary and Marisa accepted this, after much discussion and acid comments from the younger woman about commitment and responsibility. 

"Sorry I'm late, dear. The traffic was horrible today, you know?" Mary already arrived apologizing, as she always did when she noticed that something was very wrong. The doctor already knew that something was bothering the young scientist for the excessive tidiness in the research room, for the coffee already ready in her favorite mug - from Star Wars. 

"You could have avoided the traffic if you'd left a little earlier, don't you believe?" 

"Of course I could, but then I wouldn't have brought you that." Mary handed her a box of Macarons she took out of her bag. It was a very small box, but with an elegant decoration. 

Marisa looked at her stunned.

"Macarons... How did you know?" 

"You mentioned it at dinner a few days ago, about how this was your favorite part from when you lived in France... in the other world." Mary shrugged her shoulders and smiled. 

"Thank you, dear." Marisa didn't really know how to show gratitude, but it was something she was learning from Mary - the doctor always hugged someone when she wanted to thank them for something, so the young scientist started to do the same thing. 

The mood in the room seemed to get warmer. 

"Thank you, Marisa. You arranged my paperwork and still made my coffee". Mary leaned over to get her cup of Star Wars. 

The women had breakfast in silence. Marisa shared two macaroons with Mary, with great insistence that the doctor tastes the candy, which according to the scientist wasn't so bad, which drove Marisa crazy. 

Although the sweet and all the fluffy surprises Mary had made that morning, broke some of Marisa's walls, she was still bothered with the topic of cinema.

The golden monkey, a part of Marisa, wanted to avoid arguments and assure the doctor that everything was fine, so he stood by Mary's side the whole time since her arrival. The connection between the older scientist and the daemon was curious, they seemed to have an inexplicable connection, especially if it involved keeping Mary away from Marisa's bad temper. 

Sometimes Marisa was jealous of Mary, as some of her students seemed very close to her, which led to a heated argument from the young scientist - who was no good at sharing what she liked, in her own words. On those occasions, the golden monkey stood on Mary's left shoulder, as if comforting her and showing that Marisa was only insecure and wanted to make sure that their relationship would not fade away, that she would not be exchanged for some other student, especially another man. 

Mary and the golden monkey were allies, accomplices, and partners.

"I've been in this world for a year now and I still have the feeling that I don't know the most basic things.”

"Why do you say that?" Mary was genuinely confused. 

"I've never done some activities that most people feel are common."

"If this is about touring London on that red bus, I can assure you I didn't invite you because I knew it wouldn't be something you like. You are much more discreet and whether you like it or not, you always prefer something personalized, something that has been suited to you". 

The golden monkey enjoyed the scene but felt sorry for Mary, so clever in some aspects, but so lazy in others. The golden monkey was the one who had helped Marisa choose which mug to put her coffee in. Star Wars was the biggest and greatest tip he could give.

"I'm not talking about that red bus. It certainly wouldn't be an activity I'd like." 

"So what's it about?" 

Marisa took a deep breath. 

"Why didn't you ever invite me to the cinema?"

"To the cinema?" 

"Yes, to the cinema. That place where every couple seems very happy to go regularly, where people from college agree to go together and you're a big fan". Marisa pointed to the mug that Mary had just put on the coffee table. 

"I didn't think it was a priority for you, dear. I've always tried to show you the best things in this world, especially the ones I thought you'd like the most. Cinema is great and I like it a lot, but I didn't think it would be a big deal for you. Marisa, if you wanted to go to the movies so badly, why didn't you tell me?" 

"You always went with your friends and students, I didn't want to be the intruder. You never called me".

"Is this about me or a pattern?" 

"What's it like?"

"Are you worried that it's not enough and that's why you're projecting insecurity in a trip to the cinema? Marisa, not every couple goes to the movies, most of them go because it's an easy program and they both have a good time. This kind of program was not something I saw us both doing, I like to sit in front of you and know more about your life. How many secrets do you still hide? Who is Marisa Delamare?" Mary approached Marisa and kissed her forehead. 

The young scientist was surprised at Mary's explanation. 

"I want to go to the movies and I want to go tonight." 

"Tonight?" Mary seemed to be a little upset. 

"Yes. Do you have a plan that you haven't told me about?"

"I was going to see the new Star Wars movie with the guidance boys."

"So I'm going along, I want to see that movie with you."

"Do you?"

"Well... Yes. I want to know a little more about your tastes too and I know you like that kind of film a little bit." Marisa laughed to try to hide her nervousness about inviting herself to an activity that hadn't been called. 

"Perfect. I'll pick you up at 8 pm." Mary gave a bright smile. 

The older scientist threw an ok sign to the golden monkey, encouraging him that everything was fine and that he wouldn't have to worry about Marisa's insecurities - which would probably be deducted from the daemon's reaction. 

The rest of the afternoon was calm, quiet, light. Mary and Marisa worked hard on the assembly of the "cave", which would be presented to a group of dark-matter scholars from Norway, they could aggregate at some stages of the research, especially in the response that the machine produced to some stimuli. Both scientists had to be very careful with the next steps of research because the machine reacted better to Marisa than anyone else, which could be explained by the presence of the daemon. But how to put this into theory if this world was a place without daemons? How to write these theses without putting Marisa's life at stake? 

Doubled care was tiring, but it urged them, even more, to keep looking for other explanations for the reactions of the "cave", as well as the use it would have. 

After the tiring day, all Marisa wanted was a good glass of wine and a book by one Jane Austen, who had won from Mary and was surprisingly very good. But she couldn't do it that night, she already had plans. Marisa was going to the movies for the first time. 

At 8 pm Mary picked up the young scientist and took her to a cinema near the center of Oxford, it was the best cinema in town because it had the best infrastructure - the armchairs were more spacious and allowed Mary to get much more comfortable. 

Marisa was a little sick of the smell of butter and popcorn so strong on the spot, it seemed to haunt her. 

"That smell is horrible. I don't know how they can eat that". 

It didn't even take 10 minutes from the beginning of the film for Marisa to be with the popcorn in her lap, eating without even noticing. She was surrendered to the mundane wonder, a fact that Mary observed amusingly. 

The room was very big and it surprised Marisa, she expected a much smaller and brighter room, at least that's what she said to Mary when they sat down. That was a half-truth because Marisa didn't really know what to expect, she didn't know what a cinema should look like or how people behaved in that kind of environment. 

Marisa enjoyed watching people in that dark environment, some younger couples kissed and didn't seem to run out of air, although their mouths didn't go away for a minute. Other couples stayed well together, demonstrating affection without taking their eyes off the cinema screen - which Marisa found particularly large. Some groups talked some things about the film and took reprisals from the whole theater, this part Marisa found amusing. 

The young scientist was not sure which category they belonged. She wanted to kiss Mary, but not in that room, not around so many people, not exposing herself that way. She wanted to demonstrate her love and affection to Mary, but she didn't want to look needy, she didn't want to take the scientist's concentration off the screen. Marisa wanted to talk, make punctual comments about the quality of the performance and how she could be easily fooled by those incredible special effects, but she knew this was disrespectful and would also take Mary's attention away from the screen. 

Marisa developed a relationship of love and hate with the cinema and everything it accompanied. She loved being in Mary's company and that the doctor had shared something she loved with her - even with all the pressure to go together. She hated not being able to talk to Mary during the movie and she hated the smell of popcorn - even though she ate all the popcorn the older scientist bought. 

"What did you think of the film, Marisa?" Mary asked while driving the woman home. 

"I didn't pay much attention to the film, there were more interesting things in that movie theatre" 

Mary laughed. The older scientist looked surprised, but not very surprised. 

"Like what?" 

"Questions about what kind of couple we are." 

"We are that kind of couple that likes the academic environment, that kind of couple that feels that a real connection is made eye to eye, that kind of couple that likes walks and activities that take us out of the comfort zone, that solves difficult problems together, and mainly that couple in which one buys popcorn with the intention of both eating, but that runs out of popcorn because the partner has already devoured everything". 

"Mary!" Marisa was stunned by Mary's words, especially about popcorn. 

"You've eaten everything. Next time, remind me to get one for you and one for me".

"Next time? Then we'll have the next time?" 

"Of course." 

Marisa smiled. The day was good and Star Wars wasn't so bad.


End file.
